The Female Sora
by Kayin
Summary: A story in the first person view of your typical teenage girl. Only her journey and new aquaintence aren't so typical. Will she be able to survive the chain of events that lead her into an endless spiraling tunnel of darkenss?
1. Teenage Crush

Author's Notes: Hey all! Welcome to the mahem that I call "The Female Sora"! And don't get all worried, I know the title makes this sound like a morbid sex-change yaoi fic, but I assure you IT'S NOT! You'll get what I'm sayin' if ya read it. It's in the first person point of view from my favorite "Mary Sue", Katie. If you've read my other lame story ("The Screwed Up Vision of Escaflowne" which is currently incomplete) then you'll have noticed that "Katie" was also in that too, well guess what? In almost EVERY story I write, there will be Katie and/or Courtney as the main characters. I dunno, but I can't help but put myself and my best friend in the mix of RPG/Anime fun, ya know?!  
  
"The Female Sora" is rated PG 13 for slight naughty language, nothing too serious, and if it is serious, then it's cut apart. (You'll see what I mean) It's basically a "love-story" from my perspective, and trust me, it's gonna be wacked, and quite funny. At least I hope funny, I try. Anyway, enjoy!  
  
Chapter One: Teenage Crush  
  
It's been like what? two days since this guy just ramdomly shows up at school and steals my heart? Yeah, I think it's been about two days... But time doesn't seem to be important to me now, I may sound like one of those ditzy girls who have crushes up the wazoo, BUT I'm not like one of those girls, I only have ONE crush. To bad everyother girl in the freggin' school has a crush on him too. That kind of makes my little crush look insignificant, yes? Oh well, I'm Katie Smyth, I don't get crushes everyday, and he should feel privilaged to be liked by me, too bad he doesn't know. It's not like it's not completely OBVIOUS, Courtney can tell I like him, even though I deny it every time she brings it up. Wish I could be like her, and have no fear of tellin' other people about who I have crushes on. Takes a lot of trust to just up and tell someone about stuff like that, a lot of courage too. Trust I have, courage I don't.  
  
Don't get me wrong, when it comes down to spiders or snakes or walking in the dark, or answering the door in my PJ's, I have all the damn courage in the freggin' world. But when it comes to tellin' about my inner- feelings... I chicken out. Sure I'm an excratory kinda person, up to a point, and my inner-feelings are definitely up to that point. Maybe it's just that I don't want to be rejected? Or maybe that I don't want to be embarrased if someone told, I don't like to be made fun of, I get enough of that at home from my bro. Or maybe I just can't get myself to say it cuz there's this voice inside my head tellin' me to keep quiet about stuff like this... OR maybe it's because I don't want to be like everyone ELSE! Sharing my feelin's openly like that, and gettin' all "giggly" like all them dumb as all hell girls out there. Yup, that's it. The little tom-boy inside me won't let me become like what I had always promised myself I wouldn't be.  
  
Now that I think about it though, strange things have been happenin' now that this guy shows up. The weather's turned quite violent, it gets darker sooner, odd material has been fallin' from the sky, and just yesterday I saw a creature in the woods while walkin' home from the bus stop. It was black and walked almost on all fours, with antennae and two bright yellow eyes. I just deemed that as part of my over-active imagination, but I could almost SWEAR I saw that damn freaky creature... However, what all of those things have to do with HIM are completely BEYOND me. He would have no way of being able to control ANY of that, but I can't help but feel that maybe... he's involved in all this SOMEHOW. Nevertheless, you won't hear me making any accusations ANY time soon.  
  
One of the meteors fell in my back yard the other day too, you know, "by the way." The stuff is actually pretty damn cool, it's a funky glowin' color, and stretches if you pull on it. It bounces pretty well too, to tell the truth, it bounces REALLY well, I chased it for almost a half an hour tryin' to catch the damn thing. So now it's on a leash, and I have EVERY intention of doin' odd experiments on the little peice of goo. The scientist in me is takin' over! Everyone BEWARE! Mwahahaha!  
  
****  
  
Eveyone in the class of highschooler's looks over at me as I chuckle to myself insanely. Uh-oh... Well, there's number 10,877 times I've made a COMPLETE ass out of myself infront of my peers, but that's only a rough estimate. Oh well. It's only first hour! I'm sure I can make a few more incidences to add to my total by the end of the day. My face flushes alittle and I smile cheesily at my fellow classmates half waving to ease my embarrasment. Doesn't work, never does, worth a try though. I sigh, and go back to watching the horrible as all hell movie that Mr. Shellert's just showin' to take up class time, even teachers get lazy sometimes, right? To be honest, I'd rather watch this gay movie than take notes, and I'm sure that's how everyone else feels as well. So, I'm not complainin', not at all.  
  
You know that naggin' feelin' that you get when someone's lookin' at you? Yeah, so I'm feelin' that about right NOW... I look up, takin' a quick look around the class room, makin' no eye contact with anyone, but still trying to see who's lookin' at me... And--he's... why is HE lookin' at me?! Great, he must think me weird now that I laugh about nothing in paticular... Oh well, yet ANOTHER guy out there that thinks I'm crazy. Could be worse. Around this time I notice that I'm lookin' at HIM too, he sure does have pretty eyes though... I wouldn't mind looking into those eyes--er... NOW would be a good time to look away... Quick, give another cheesy smile and half wave... and--IN THE CLEAR! Whew, that was close!  
  
Uh... Not to be like "Captin Obvious" or anything, but the bells ringing... Guess I should go huh? Ok, it's official, all sanity that may have been present inside of me is officially GONE, gone without a TRACE! DEAR GOD WHAT WILL I DO?! Well... what CAN a crazy person do, you know, besides act crazy? And the answer is... NOTHING!! There is no hope for people like me. Aw, what a complete and utter SHAME!  
  
Let's see here, second hour, oh joy, it's like my FAVORITE class out of the whole stinkin' DAY! Damn I'm just a reakin' with sarcasm. Floriculture, bahumbug... Someone must have it out for me... Out of the so many OTHER classes, I get stuck with this one, full of seniors and a wacked- out teacher that calls me by my FIRST FREGGIN' NAME, which by the way I absolutely HATE with every FIBER of my BEING. But ya know, what can ya do? Some people just can't get the point that they can call me KATIE! NOT KATHARINE!! ARG! ... Must... be... CALM! Aw, screw it. However, there is an upside to this class, once again HE is in the same class as I am... Come to think of it, he's in just about every one of my classes... Actually he IS in every one of my classes... How strange. But I'm not complaining! I have no reason to!  
  
Out to the Green House we go, the whole class except for the damn Agriculture Lacky's that seem to always get good grades in this damn class even though they do absolutely NOTHING. Once in the Green House we get the usual comments of "This place smells like ass." coming from several of the students. I, of course, stick to my little lonesome and head for the far corner, to hide behind an overgrown plant and try not to be noticed as much at possible. Of course, as luck would have it Mr. Cook sees my despirate dash for the back and takes this opportunity to think me as a volunteer.  
  
"Ah, Katharine, you look like you'd like to water the Poinsettias!" he says, followed by his annoying as all hell laugh that sends chills down my spine and makes me almost want to vomit.  
  
"Fine." I mumble, and head for the god-forsaken hose, to begin my horrible task of getting all of the clothes on my body wet--er watering the Poinsettias.  
  
"Yes and uh... Riku, could you give her a hand with that?"  
  
I freeze in the middle of turning the water on, did he just say Riku? RIKU??? Oh great, now I can make a total ass out of myself in front of him PERSONALLY! YAY!  
  
"Uh... You do realize that you're giving your shoe a good watering, right?" His deep sarcastic voice rings from behind me.  
  
Lookin' down, I see that he's definitely correct in making that assumption. Pulling a Chandler, I look up at him, "I know." I say quickly, pulling the hose away from my soaked shoe, and jerking away heading to the Poinsettias. Pulling the lever on the hose to make the water stop for the time being, and shaking my foot wildly riding it of the access water to the best of my ability. Mission accomplished on making an ass out of myself, but the hours not over yet!  
  
She reminds me of Sora.  
  
Sora? Who the hell is Sora? And how did that name enter my feeble little brain?  
  
The cheesy smile, the half wave, the ditzy childish mistakes and getting embarrassed about them, but trying not to let anyone see it. All I need to do is cut the hair and give her a keyblade and I'd have my own personal Sora. Heh-heh.  
  
What the FU--... I refuse to finish that sentence... aw, what the hell--CK!!  
  
Only female... that's not so bad...  
  
"Do you mind, you're freakin' me out." I growl out loud, not meaning to, mind you, and I clap my hands over my mouth hoping Riku didn't hear it...  
  
"Mind what?" he sounds confused, I am too...  
  
"Uh, nothin'. Didn't mean to say that out loud. Sorry." I laugh nervously, rubbing the back of my neck.  
  
There she goes again, acting like Sora, but a better looking, more attractive Sora... Am I saying that I'm attracted to Sora? No... I just like him as a friend, but seeing a girl that acts just like him is...  
  
"Don't say it..." I growl again, but noticing my second mistake I slap my hands over my mouth and laugh nervously again.  
  
"Don't say... what?" he looks down at me with those absolutely beautiful aqua-green eyes, under those oddly colored silver/platinum bangs, and quirks a thin silver eyebrow.  
  
"Uh... nothin' again?" he gives me that look. "What? You don't hear that?"  
  
"Hear what?"  
  
I sigh, didn't think he did, oh well, it was worth a shot dammit. "It's nothin', just me going nuts, don't mind me." I turn and start to carefully water the small deteriorating plants to the best of my ability. Poor plants are just a dying away, ain't they? Probably because I'm watering them, I have a tendency to curse everything I touch to either destruction or death, at least at SOME point.  
  
"... You're drowning them..."  
  
Ok, I've had enough... "I am, AM I?! You think you could do a BETTER JOB?!"  
  
"Actually, yes."  
  
"Then, BE MY FREGGIN' GUEST!" I thrust the hose infront of his face, then cross my arms and pout.  
  
Yep, just like Sora. Over reacts then pouts like a little child.  
  
"There is ABSOLUTELY NOTHIN' wrong with ACTIN' LIKE A CHILD!" I snarl, that damn voice in my head--that's talking about nothing that I understand--is REALLY starting to TICK ME OFF!!  
  
"... w... what did you just say?" he stares at me astonished.  
  
"It's nothin', don't worry about it." I wave him off, and close my eyes. Doing my best to ignore the numerous naggin' feelings that I'm gettin', tellin' me that the whole class is lookin' at me. Not the first time...  
  
Ok, that was just about WEIRD. For a second, I thought she could read my thoughts...  
  
My eyes jerk open. What... Huh? I'm confused... Reading thoughts? Is THAT what I'm doing? Then... who's thoughts was I...? I turn slowly to look at Riku, who's slowly watering the plants with the utmost care that almost seems unhuman. Ok, well there's only one way to find out if they're his thoughts.  
  
"Riku?" I say shakily, his eyes look over at me, but he continues to water. "Do you... by chance know someone named... uh... Sora...?"  
  
He drops the hose.  
  
Gee, I guess so. I watch him as he quickly picks the hose back up and shuts the water off. He looks at me astonished, his already pale face getting paler, if that's even possible. Well, I think I surprised him a little bit... just a little. THUMP!! My attention is drawn away from his face and over to the wall of the Green House, there, clinging to the wall, I could see one of those creatures that I saw in the woods, looking in on us.  
  
"Heartless!" Riku sneers, and dashes for the door, nearly tripping me with the damn hose. Heartless? What the HELL is a HEARTLESS?! Suppose it's that freaky as all hell thing that's scratchin' at the wall... Hm... BRILLIANT deduction my dear DUMB ASS! Ug, my own stupidity kills me... Gotta work on imporving my IQ when I get the chance. But, as for now, I shall follow Riku! Why? Well, I'm not sure, but I've got this OTHER naggin' feelin' that I should help him... with... WHATEVER he's doin'... So I dash for the door as well.  
  
What I'm seein' now, is definitely NOT what I was expecting to see. Well, what EXACTLY I was expecting, I dunno, but it sure as hell wasn't THIS! Up in the sky was a giant ball of "blackness" and some small things flying up to it. Uh, it's kinda like a vaccum... WHAT?! A VACCUM?!?! All it needs is the Dirt Devil sign and we'd have a match... Great, now I'm going to get sucked up and DIE! Perfect...  
  
A few dark circles form around me and before I know it, I'm surrounded by them "heartless" thinger-majigers. I gulp, gee, this doesn't look too good.  
  
"What are you doing out here?!" Hey that's Riku's voice!  
  
"Riku!" I say, trying to find him.  
  
"You shouldn't have come out here!"  
  
"Well I didn't hear you tell me not too! I took that as an opportunity to show off my stupidity! You got a PROBLEM WITH THAT?!"  
  
He rounds the corner, only to be surounded by his own circle of heartless. Yep, this doesn't look too good at ALL. But to my surprise in his hands two... giant keys appear, one a dark color and one a light color. The dark one glows an odd yellow color and I watch, all too aware of the heartless inching in closer to me. Suddenly MY hand starts to glow yellow and there pops the dark colored key... "What in the world!" I almost drop the dumb thing. "What am I supposed to do with this?!"  
  
"Use it!" he instructs.  
  
"And do WHAT?! KEY them to death?!" He doesn't get the chance to answer, he's too busy wacking the heartless with the "key" like thingy in his hands. If it works for him, then it should work for me too. Alrighty then, ASS KICKING TIME!!  
  
I swing--and miss. I swing again, and I hit something, turns out I took out two heartless, with odd black stars erupting from the sword as it made contact. Ok, so it's magical, seems more practical than beating them with a giant key. The Green House behind me lifts up from the ground and starts to fly up to the black orb in the sky. HEY! My classmates are in there! ... Uh... How exactly does that work? The Green House gets sucked up before I DO?! I watch the windows of the Green House, seeing my fellow peers scream and beat on the door despiratley fighting to survive... and I lose sight of it. It's... gone... sucked into the dark abyss...  
  
A heartless, or at least I think it's a heartless, hits me in the back and I start to get sucked up myself, uh... not good? So, I scream. What else am I supposed to do?! Can't grab anything, no way of "de-sucking" myself back to the ground, no wings to fly with. Ok, so I'll meet the same damn fate as my peers. How FUCKING WONDERFUL!!  
  
"KATIE!" Snatch, yank and OW!! Sure, try to save me Riku and PULL MY ARM OUT OF IT'S SOCKET! But... I'm not complaining, at least I'm not sucked into the black hole behind me.  
  
"RIKU!" I yell back, looking at him, he's scared, I can see it. I wonder if he's as scared as I am? "Don't you DARE let me go!"  
  
"I'LL NEVER LET GO!"  
  
.... Now, where does that sound familiar? Yes, that's right, freggin' TITANIC! Ug... WRONG choice of words there Riku, hun. "I'll never let go." and then you're yanking your hand away from mine to let me sink into the ocean's depth's... or in this case, get sucked into a giant dark BALL IN THE FREGGIN' SKY! Boy, this is turning out to be a pretty bad day, wouldn't you say?  
  
Well not even the cutest guys in the world have the best grip, so he eventually loses his on whatever was anchoring us down. And soon we're both just a spinnin' right up to the big black ball thingy. Well... DAMMIT! I don't WANNA DIE!! I have so much to LIVE FOR! I still need to see ALL THE ANIME IN THE WORLD! I still need to FINISH ESCA! I need to READ TWISTED! So much to do... AND I'M ABOUT TO DIE!! Where in the HELL is Ishi when you NEED HER?!  
  
As we get closer to the dark ball, I feel Riku's grip on my arm tighten... Why is he still holding my arm? Does he think I'M going to save him?! Ha, fat chance, I gotta save myself first, and we all know I can't do that! You know... how they say that when you think you're goin' to die, how you're life flashes before your eyes? Yeah, they are SO WRONG! All I see is black-green, black-green, black-Riku-green. Yeah, definitely no pictures of my mom, or dad, or hell even my brothers, or the rest of my family, no memories of Courtney or Jess, or all the stupid shit that I wish I hadn't done... So... Does that mean that I'm not goin' to die...?  
  
That's when EVERYTHING turns black...  
  
Author's Notes: So, how'd you like it? Yes, I know. It doesn't make much sense, but I assure you, it'll get a little more clear as the story goes. I'm just now making a plot. ^_^ If you guys stick with me, then maybe I'll be motivated! And we'll actually get somewhere! But until then, JA!! 


	2. Destiny Islands

Chapter Two: Destiny Islands  
  
You know what? I'm not a creature of the night like C-dawg, but neither am I a MORNING person. I'm what you would call a... "Afternevening" person. Afternoon+evening=afternevening. Makes some sense right? ON to my POINT behind my ranting, you see, the morning sun has this THING with my eyes, to be blunt: I CAN'T SEE. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is my little dilema. I'm awake, probably in my bed on a Sunday morning...er afternoon more likely, and the god forsaken SUN is shining through my god forsaken WINDOW making my god forsaken EYES hurt like the dicken's... Only there's just one itsy bitsy problem with my assumption... I don't remember havin' the sound of WATER rushing in my room... Ok, eyes, suck it up, we need to "see" what's up.  
  
A person would NEVER believe how hard it is to open my poor poopy brown eyes, but somehow I manage, and when they adjust to the bright as all hell sunlight, I'm completely taken aback by what I see. I see... Man, I have NEVER had to go pee so damn bad in my LIFE! Well wakin' up to the sound of water, and then SEEING nothing BUT water can have that effect on people. Especially ME. I jolt up, takin' a quick look around, then dashin' for the nearest bush, I answer nature's call. Hello nature, so NICE OF YOU TO CALL ME RIGHT NOW! You couldn't like call me in about ten minutes?! Or at least until AFTER I figure out where the HELL I am?! But no, you have no curtesy for us simple life-forms, DO YOU?! Figures...  
  
After relieving myself, I went back out from the behind the bush and sat back down in the sand. Yes, that's right, SAND. If you can't put the facts together by now, I'll just go right out and say it. I'm on a BEACH, by the looks of it, perhaps a small island. But the ocean is really beautiful, reminds me of Riku's eyes... Wait a sec... Where IS Riku?!  
  
I jump to my feet, that horrible sinking feeling hitting my stomache like a 60 pound weight. Last time I checked, we were BOTH sucked into that big ball of "blackness", so where the HELL is HE?!.... he... he didn't...? NO!! POOR RIKU! I fall to my knees and pound at the sand. I knew it! I AM cursed! DAMN! He was a hotty too!... WAIT! Thou shalt not give up on Riku- kun! I BELIEVE IN YOU RIKU! After this thought, I search around the beach for his form, dead or not, hopefully not...Around this time, my initial shock has gone away, and now... here comes "Katie's Spazmatic Screaming Attack."  
  
"Riku? ... RIKU?! RRIIIIIIIIIIIIIKUUUUUUUUU!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU RIKU?! YOU BETTER NOT HAVE DIED! Did you? IT SHOULD'VE BEEN ME!! If you're ALIVE, GIVE ME A SIGN! WHISTLE IF YOU'RE ALIVE!!" I hear no sound, but I won't give up, maybe he can't whislte! "If you can't WHISTLE, then... uh... CLAP!" I hear no clapping. "RRRRIII~IIIIIKUUUUUUUUUU!!!"  
  
"What in the hell are you rambling on about?" ... could it be? ....Riku?  
  
"RIKU!" I yell happily, turning quickly and imediately wrapping my arms around his waist. "Riku! I thought you were DEAD! I'm so happy you're ALIVE!" Probably not for too much longer if I keep squeezing him like this... And now... I realize what the HELL I'm doing, letting him go and looking at the ground, my face turning bright red, I can't help but think to myself... Gosh Kay, didn't know you had it in you.  
  
Regaining my composure would be the respectable thing to do right about now. BUT, I'm Katie Smyth, as I stated earlier, and I'm not too awful respectable. Standing up slowly I glare up at Riku, while he gives me a confused look. I have some questions to ask, and I'm GOING to get some answers. "Riku..." I grab his shoulder's suddenly and his eyes go wide in fright. "WHAT IN ALL THE HELLS OF MAYFIL HAPPENED BACK THERE?!" I shake him feriously, laughing inside my head-- HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!-- at how his face looks as shere confusion and fright overtake his once confident expression.  
  
My common sense finally returns to me as I'm glaring at my poor victim of my "Spaz Attack", and I let him go turning my back on him. "Uh... excuse me. Sorry, I got a little carried away."  
  
"Yeah, I'll say. I don't think I've ever seen you like this Katie." Hey... I know that voice, don't I...? OF COURSE I DO! That's...?!  
  
"Courtney, don't agg her on will you? I know how you two get..." Riku scolded.  
  
I stare at her... there she is, just STANDING there, while I'm freakin' out about EVERYTHING... hey, SHE'S ALIVE!! "It's YOU!" I point dumbly at her.  
  
"OH! It's ME!" she mocks... typical Courtney. Nevertheless, I rush up to her and begin to make ABSOLUTELY sure she was really there, after all, I KNEW that Riku was there, I just hugged him. Now if you're thinking that I'll do the same to her as I did Riku well you know what? You're HELLA WRONG! Instead, I poke her. ".... We just get through a MAJOR dilema in our lives, considering our WORLD HAS JUST BEEN DESTROYED, and all you have to do when you see you're BEST FRIEND ALIVE is to POKE ME?!?!?!"  
  
"Uh... you got a problem with that?"  
  
"No not really, if you had hugged me like you did Riku, I'd think there was something wrong with you."  
  
"Good then it's settled."  
  
"No not really, you still hugged Riku. You practically GLOMPED him. This calls for unending and unreasonable amounts of teasing!" Aw... SHIT!  
  
DAMMIT!! Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? Why me? WHY ME?!?!? WHAT DID I DO?! Oh, yeah, that's right, I'M JUST ME!!  
  
It hits me then, and I fall once again, on my rump in the sand. Oh my god... What did she just say? Could it really be true? No, I won't believe it... It just can't be...  
  
"Oh, c'mon Katie, I was just joking about the teasing thing!" Courtney tries to comfort me, thinking that what she said about Riku is what upset me. Don't get me wrong, it didn't really add to my pile of problems that have been addin' up lately, but that's not exactly what's on my mind at the moment.  
  
"Riku? Is it true? Is our world really destroyed?" I ask him, I would ask Courtney, but for some strange reason I figure that I'll get a more detailed answer from him. I watch him for a moment as his face goes a little sad and he avoids eye contact with me, well, there's my answer. "But... how? Why? Who?" Gee, I think I'm actually hyperventalating... I feel sick as well... Am I going to pass out? No, I refuse, it's not in my nature to be too surprised about something to pass out. I WILL NOT pass out.  
  
"Katie, are you ok? Are you going to pass out?" Courtney asks, seeming to let all humor subside from her usual character to worry about me.  
  
"Uh... yeah, probably." I say honestly as my eye-lids close and I feel myself fall backwards.  
  
Author's Notes: Short chapter, yeah, I know... GOMEN!! But give me a break, promise next chapter will be longer, kay? 


	3. Depression

Chapter Three: Depression...  
  
I still don't feel to great. Feel like SHIT I do, and I'm almost proud of it. How could a person feel WELL after learning that they're one of maybe three survivors of their ENTIRE planet? AND have seen their planets destruction up close and personal, not to mention almost being killed themselves... Ug... what in the HELL have I gotten myself into?--er, what has SOMEONE ELSE gotten me into?! Can't say that it's all MY fault, sure I'm bad luck, but geez, I'm not THAT bad.  
  
"How is she?" I hear Riku ask.  
  
"She's awake... But she won't talk." Comes Courtney's answer. I don't see how I could ever talk again...  
  
"Will she be ok?"  
  
"Yeah, she'll be fine. She gets like this sometimes, definitely when there's a major tradgety. I remember when the Twin Towers fell last year, she was quiet for almost an hour. Give her some time, and she'll bust from that room and curse and yell and carry on, maybe run around a little bit, then she'll be back to her usual self. You'll see."  
  
"I sure hope so, she's really making me worry."  
  
"Me too, Riku. Me too."  
  
Sorry guys, but I think this is a little too BIG for me to just become myself again in about an hours time. I don't think I'll EVER be the same, ever... And... How can she be so GOD DAMN CALM?! Doesn't she REALIZE that it's HER PLANET TOO?! Her home as well? Where HER family lived, where she went to school, where she did EVERYTHING?! ... But I suppose everyone has their own way of dealing with things... I want to cry, but I don't even think I have the energy to cry.  
  
"What about you? How are you doing?" Riku's voice once again sounds through the wooden door in front of me.  
  
"Oh, me? I'm ok, for the time being. I'm not exactly sure if it's all soaked in just yet. But for now, I'll be strong for Katie, so when she gets done with her spell, she can be strong for me as I have my breakdown." ... If I ever come out of it...  
  
"It's getting late, maybe you should get some sleep...?"  
  
"Good idea. Ok, I'll talk to you tomorrow." The soft glow of candle light enters my room and spreads it's small warmth against my face. "Hey Katie." She says to me, I want to look up at her, but my eyes just don't want to move, sorry C. "You feeling any better?"  
  
No, not really, but I don't reply.  
  
"Listen, don't worry, we'll get through this together. And Riku told us that we can stay here at his home, Destiny Islands, for as long as we need to."  
  
Wait a sec... HIS HOME?! You mean... he's NOT from Earth?  
  
"I know what you're probably thinking, "Wait a sec... He's not from Earth?" but nope, he's not. He told me everything, he told me how he and two of his friends, Sora and Kairi, wished to leave and go to another world. And eventually they're wish came true, but they were all separated and went they're own ways, and eventually Riku came to our planet and enrolled in our school. So that's how he came to be there. Make any sense?"  
  
Nope.  
  
"I didn't think it did, don't think you do either, I know how you don't usually understand most stuff."  
  
What you callin' me stupid?  
  
"Not to call you stupid, just sometimes you don't get it."  
  
True...  
  
"Well, get some rest chicka, and be back to normal tomorrow, you're making Riku all nervous." She laughs a little, I know she's thinking something, she's ALWAYS thinkin' of somethin'. The small orange glow disappears and I hear the rustle of cloth and soon, I sense that she's asleep. Good.  
  
I'm not too sure exactly how long I had sat there before I heard it, but it couldn't have been to awful long. Just hearing it, makes me want to do the same. I always did have the tendency to do it, but only if I saw someone else do it too. Courtney, was crying, there was no mistaking the muffled sobs and sniffs, and my own throat choked up alittle, but I WILL NOT cry. So, not even she is that strong, but still stronger than me, and I admire that. "I'll be strong for Katie, so when she gets done with her spell, she can be strong for me..." And you had better believe I'll do that. If not just because it's the right thing to do, but because I want to live up to her expectations. And if I wasn't such a putz, I'd go over there right now and comfort her, but what would I say? What would I do? I'm not used to this sort of shit, and in my opinion, the best thing one can do in this situation is to let them cry it out and have them seek your advice later. And maybe by then, I WILL be out of my spell, as to be strong. But... not now. Not now...  
  
I'm only human, and therefor, there's only so much of this that I can take. I have feelings too dammit, believe it or not, and hearing her sob her head off is REALLY GETTING TO ME. I don't think I'll stay any saner if I stay here, I need to leave... Somehow I manage to muster up enough energy to pick my weak as all hell body off of the floor where I sat, and headed for the door. Amazingly enough I find my way to the front door of the small house, considering that I was unconcious when they dragged me through here. The view from the treehouse was actually quite beautiful, too bad I don't care enough right now to enjoy it. And I make my way, clumsily enough over to the ladder and head down it... Ug... don't have the strength to keep myself up... Oops... I let go, look ma! No hands, and I'm fallin' down and-- OUCH, sand really hurts when a person falls about 10 feet down onto it... Sand burn...  
  
No strength, none whatsoever, can't pick myself up, can't call for help, can't even cough to get wind back into my starved lungs. Can't do anything, man I feel helpless laying here on my back lookin' up at the endless pool of stars... The stars from Earth were always very pretty... I remember many a time when I would lay out in the field on a summer night and try to count all of them, or memorize the constillations... All of those times are gone now though, and I think everything that I once was has disappeared with them... What's left of me? An empty shell of a person with pointless thoughts of what life used to be. Is there no future for me? I don't even know if I WANT a future... I just want my PAST back... I want everything to go back to the way it WAS! I wish this had never happened! Who are you kiddin' girl? This is it, the past is the past, the future is the future, and now is now. No amount of wishing will help you. This is it, suck it up, get over it and get ready for the next time, because you know there WILL be a next time.  
  
"This is it... This is life..." I hear myself whisper, I sound like a retard... talking about things that I don't even understand, yet it just makes sense. What else am I supposed to do? I wish my mom was here to comfort me, to give me advice, but just like my past... she's gone. My dad, my grandparents, and my brothers... all gone... A warm tear trickles down my cheek... huh... I thought I had decided not to cry...? Guess I really don't have control over anything, and that's just it.  
  
"RIKU! Katie's GONE!" Comes Courtney's frantic voice. So, she noticed that I left... That was nice of her, you know, to notice. But, C-dawg, you don't need to worry about me, I've figured it all out. If I stay right here for the rest of my life... Just staring up at the stars... And reminice... forever, then I'll eventually die of starvation or dehydration, and then be out of my misery, because I'm too damn chicken to comit suicide.  
  
The candle light in the treehouse lights up the area around me, kinda like I had a halo of orange warm light covering me, waiting to take me, while I wasted away in my own sorrow... or something like that. The door opens up there and out comes Riku... in his boxers... scanning the area frantically for my fleeing figure. Dumb cute guy... Just look down and you'll see the decrepid form of Katie Smyth as she withers away in front of your very eyes. Just look down here, that's all. Just down, down here below the light, here in the darkness where I'm slowly being pulled deeper into depression by invisible strings that make movement impossible for me. But, what can I do?  
  
"Nothing, absolutely nothing." I whisper.  
  
He does though, eventually look down, and the look in his sea-green eyes when he catches my brown ones almost made me want to scream for him, when his throat seemed choaked up. I could see his fright, why was he so scared for me? Did he really care that much?  
  
"Oh my god, Katie!" He yells after a minute or so of inicial shock, and he practically threw himself down the ladder. Careful Riku, fallin' from up there hurts like a bitch, I should know, I just did it. And now my body is numb and the bitter taste of blood is playing with my taste-buds, it's not really all that pleasant.  
  
Oh, no, she's not moving... Oh please god, don't let her be dead...!  
  
Not moving, but regretably alive I'm afraid. Once climbing down the ladder he yells for Courtney and she flys from the house and is climbing down the ladder as Riku checks any wounds that I might have. Not too many physically, I don't believe, but my will to live is just about shot. Can't fix that too easily though.  
  
"Will she be ok?!" Courtney's voice was hoarse from cryin'... she'll have a sore throat in the morning.  
  
"I don't know, but we need to get her into the house." Slowly he lifts me up... grrr... have I ever mentioned how I HATE being picked up? Yeah, ok, if I happen to make it through, someone remind me to kick the livin' shit out of him. However the sudden movement makes the blood rush to my head, great I'm going to pass--darkness... 


	4. SUCKS!

Chapter Four: ...SUCKS!  
  
One small sentence is all that made me even want to wake up this morning. Though my sleep was dreamless and dull, one small innocent sentence ran through my mind like a broken record, reminding me of one thing. "I have to live up to her expectations." And by god, I'm going to do that, even if it kills me. So, I get up, EVER so slowly, damn, my body hurts like HELL. Damn me and my freggin' ditzy moments. I look around, good, no ones here. I don't honestly think I could explain to them what's goin' on with me right now. How can I explain what I don't even know...?  
  
Walking over to the door, then down to the front door I can't help but remember how I felt last night. Well, I'm definitely in a better mood this morning. I go down the ladder, taking EXTRA SPECIAL CARE not to FALL again. Once down, I could see the imprint my body had left in the sand. Hey, that's actually pretty damn cool. Almost like a snow angel, but... like a SAND angel. Lookin' around carefully to see if anyone's lookin' I smile to myself when I see no one in sight. PLOP! And I'm on the sand... moving my arms and legs in the typical "snow angel fasion".... hehe, SAND ANGEL! Getting up I take a look at my "work of art". Mwahaha, it looks pretty cool. Grabing a near by stick, I label my work.  
  
"My SAND angel. By Katie Smyth!"  
  
Nodding my head in satisfaction, I walk over to the water, water always did make me feel better, always made me have to pee like there ain't no tomorrow too... but who am I to complain? I breathe in the sea breeze and all of my spirits shoot sky high, and all of the sudden... could it be? I'm... almost... HAPPY again. ALMOST. Now, what would make me actually happy... would be to take a dip in this BEAUTIFUL OCEAN! OH MY GOD! Why does it have to be so damn GORGIOUS?! All of my troubles seem to be just melting away...  
  
"So, you're finally awake." I turn around to see Riku with his arms crossed over his chest and lookin' at me with... Hell, I don't even think I can determine what the look is... "I thought you might just sleep forever."  
  
"Sorry," I smirk at him "I'm no sleepin' beauty, more like a snorin' ugly." He smiles at me.  
  
"What's with the sudden change in attitude?" he asks.  
  
"I've come to a conclusion..." I pause.  
  
"And that is...?" he seems eager to see what my conclusion is. Huh... it's actually kinda cute.  
  
I smile cheesily at him holding up a peace sign with my fingers. "Depression SUCKS!" He almost falls over. Gee he seems kinda surprised by my answer... but well... IT'S THE TRUTH!  
  
"Well... it's just good to see you back to normal... if what you are IS normal..." he says, despite the fact that his comment is quite harsh, I sense that he's just kiddin' around, so I pay no mind to it. "C'mon," he motions for me to follow "I've got a plan that might help you two."  
  
And therefore we head BACK to the tree house. Oh joy.  
  
****  
  
It's simple, in all honesty it is. Almost TOO simple, and that's what makes me nervous, and I don't like it, not one bit. Not to say that simple is BAD, oh no not at all! Simple is good in many ways, simple minded people happen to be the funnyest damn things on the face of the entire planet! So, simple is good, just not in this case. It's so damn simple it's scary.  
  
"Ok, so let me get this straight," I say promptly, getting moans from my companions out of frustration and annoyance. So what if I've asked this question a thousand times, I still don't get it! "All we have to do is defeat whoever is causing the worlds to disappear and our world will reappear and everything will be peachy?"  
  
"In "lame-mens-terms"... yes." Riku states trying his best to understand my lack of understanding and be reasonable with his growing temper.  
  
Courtney on the other hand... "Gee Katie, I knew you were dumb but -- BY THE GODS-- it's not that HARD!" she yells at me, her anger and need for mocking are never quite controlable. Which makes my life a living hell, but also interesting at the same time.  
  
I turn and snarl at my friend, "I'm not a BRAIN SURGEON here, it's going to take a little more for me to undertand dammit!"  
  
"I'M not a brain surgeon either, mind you, and I can figure it out just fine." she snarls back.  
  
"Don't bother me with the freggin' technicallities here, I'm not in the mood." I mumble, all this thinking, and having Courtney yell is givin' me one HELL of a headache. I lean forward in my chair, at the table we're sitting at, and slap my forhead on my forarms and growl, as Courtney continues to yell.  
  
"Do I look like I'M in the mood either?!" Gee I guess my assumption of her having a sore throat today is way past WRONG! But if she doesn't stop her bickering, I'll MAKE her have one... "You seem to forget Smyth, I'm going through the same shit you are and--!"  
  
"I didn't forget." I say, bearly audible over her angered ranting. "And I really wish you'd stop YELLING IN MY EAR!"  
  
"LIKE WISE!" And the conversation ends with two pairs of eyes glaring at each other with such force that the glasses of drinks before us almost begin to evaporate.  
  
Are these two really friends? They look like they're about to kill each other. Is this how two girls that are best friends act? Wow, there is much more competition between these two then there EVER was between Sora and I. Look at those glares! it's almost like they're trying to melt each other! Girls, don't think I'll ever understand them.  
  
"Women." I mumble. Ah yes, I supose I should call them women they are technically old enough, even though they act like children... Hey wait a sec--!  
  
I can feel his eyes on me again. You know how I can tell? My stomache gets this funny feelin' and the area around my neck gets warm. Strange, but it only does that when he's lookin' at me, and no one else.  
  
"Don't call me a woman! You're one too!" Courtney yells out to me. Oops, she must've thought I was callin' her "woman".  
  
"Don't you think I know that!" I yell back. Great back to square one, the yelling stage. She's about to say something else. Quick! Think of something to say before she speaks! I thrust up my left hand and stick it in front of her face before she opens her mouth. The shock of seeing my hand in her face must've made her pause, good. "Talk to the left, cuz you ain't right."  
  
And I left it at that.  
  
The room was eerily silent--except for the faint noise of the wheels in Riku's head churning. Trying to figure us out... He needs some WD-40-- for about 20 seconds. That's about all the time needed for us to absorb, consult, and understand exactly WHAT had just happened. And then, like all other times, our first reaction is to laugh. And laugh we did, much to Riku's confusion.  
  
I don't get it.  
  
That thought makes me smile--even though I'm already laughing--no one ever gets it. Why should he?  
  
"But seriously," I cut off my insane laughter, getting serious, and getting strange looks from Courtney and Riku. "I get the general concept, ok? Defeat the head of the operation and make things go back to normal and yadda yadda. HOWEVER there are a few 'complications' that you guys are MISSING here!"  
  
"Complications?" Courtney looks at me like I'm crazy. One would think those looks would get on my nerves--seeing as how people are always so generously givin' them to me and all--but no, I'm used to it by now. "How can there be 'complications'? It's one of the simplest plans ever!"  
  
"And THAT, my friend, IS the complication!" I don't think she gets it...  
  
"I don't get it... Are you SURE you're feeling ok?" She puts her hand on my forhead, apparently checkin' my temperature. Moron.  
  
"I'm fine baka!" I push her hand away with a snort.  
  
Courtney scratches her head and stares at me with that look, you know the one. The "I-don't-get-it-but-you-had-better-explain-it" look. "Explain." She says as she extends her hand forward, which kinda makes me wanna slap it. FIVE! But I resist the urge.  
  
Ok, now that I've got their attention to listen to my way-word ideas on the whole plan, I suddenly realize that... I don't know how to put into words what my ideas are. I feel so dumb at this point that I can almost see a little anime SD version of myself giggling nervously and rubbing my neck. Then a giant fly swatter comes down and squashes me... I wince, I wince physically, I wince so physically that I almost fall out of my chair, earning more of them damn looks from C and Riku. But as I stated before, those looks don't bother me... NOT AT ALL!!  
  
In a last ditch effort to keep my dignaty, I ignore my little "Katie's Anime Imaginatory Spaz Attack" and continue racking my feeble brain for the phrases that I want to say. And the words that I want to say, and the punctuation that I want to put it in--and even though you really can't see the periods and comas and any other such markings, I want to find them too, they are JUST AS IMPORTANT! I don't want to leave them in the dark abyss, that is my brain, to cry their poor little eyes out just because I'm in a hurry to make a point--so that I can get my two companions to understand what exactly I meant by "complications." Unfortunatly all that I have just said is too much for me to handle and I go into "Malfunction Mode" (MM for short) and I completely lose all data that has not been saved--which pretty much means EVERYTHING--and therefor I stare at my friends completely confused, and not exactly sure why.  
  
By now Riku and Courtney are leaning in close in order to hear the small mumbles that escape my mouth as my brain goes through a series of automatic reboots. Every now and then my head twitches to the side ever so slightly as major memories and such get tossed back into the dissaray of imaginative filing cabinets stuffed to the brim with imaginative papers that represent everything that I've learned and experienced in my entire lifetime...  
  
"Uh... What were we talking about?" I ask seriously, my friends moan again, and lean back in their chairs... Huh, this must've happened once already today... Too bad I don't have any recollection of these things happening... Hehe.  
  
Then suddenly--almost like you can see the light balb appear over my head--I remember what it was that we were talkin' about and I hold up my hand, halting anything that either of them might have said in order to get me up to speed, and I continue with proving my point. If there even is one... I have a nasty habit of not makin' ANY sense whatsoever.  
  
"What I meant was, how can it be so damn simple?" I pause, I've already said that... "I mean, exactly HOW are we gonna find this guy. WHO exactly IS this guy, assuming that--by the way-- they're even a GUY. WHERE in the HELL are we gonna start lookin' to find the freggin' clues to lead us to WHOEVER it is that's doin' this shit. And what do you guys mean by just DEFEATING him?! ... Her... WHATEVER!!" I pause again to catch my breath and take in the expressions of my companions, both of their expressions are blank.  
  
"Well," Riku states, "I havn't really thought it through to that extent." He blushes a little.  
  
I sigh and lean back in my chair, gee I must've gotten all excited in my rambling, I was just about to bust from my chair! Two seconds, however-- after I lean back comfortably in my chair-- I'm rewarded with a violent slap to the back of my head.  
  
"Way to go Smyth! You just made things more complicated!" Courtney growls at me.  
  
"Well pardon me, Pepmueller! It's not my FAULT that I happen to think of things in the sense that we need to find a way to get there FIRST!!" I growl back, returning the favor of the slap to the head.  
  
She slaps me back.  
  
I shove her.  
  
She sends me flying out of my chair.  
  
I get up and put her in a head lock.  
  
She elbows me in the ribs.  
  
I consider giving her a boob shot, but no, that's too cruel. So, I pull her hair.  
  
She pulls mine back.  
  
I ram her into the wall behind us.  
  
She gives out an enraged scream and looks like she's about to tackle me football style. But something stops her. Well... not SOMETHING, but SOMEONE. Someone with platinum hair for instince, and aqua-green eyes, and who has a really nice bottom, not that I was lookin' at his bottom or anything...  
  
"Girls stop it." He says, he's standing in front of me, back to me, as I oh so well notice. I'm almost drooling, lookin' at his super fine ass... er... I just like his pants! HONEST!  
  
Almost on cue, we both point at each other in defense. "She started it!" We say in unison, glarring at each other at the fact that we did the same thing at the same time. "Did not!" We both say again, our glares getting fiercer. (If that's even a word...)  
  
Courtney looks like she's ready for another go. Bring it. I can take her. But Riku puts his arms up, as if protecting me, when Courtney looks like she's ready to charge through. Why in the HELL is he protecting ME?! He should be protecting HER, she's the one who's gonna need it!  
  
"Riku, get out of the way. Unless you want to be brutally beaten to a pulp by two angry girls." I warn, but it doesn't seem like he heard me, either that, or he's one dumb male. Not to say that men are smart in the first place, but... Oh hell, you get my point.  
  
I wait a few more seconds to see if my words would sink through his thick head, but they don't, unfortunately for him. I grin evilly as I give Courtney the sign. You know, the "get-ready-I'll-tackle-him-first-and-you- be-my-back-up" sign. She reads it perfectly and I ready my stance for the charge. Three... Two... One... and I pounce on the poor unsuspected guy's back, imediatly putting him in a sleeper hold and wrapping my legs around his waist. My weight, however, hits him with such surprise that he can't keep us both up and we fall backwards (much to my dismay, I'm on the bottom here). He struggles, like any other human being would do, but you see, I have brothers, and this hold works very effectively against the male gender.  
  
I don't think she could really help it, I mean, if it were me, I'd probably do the same damn thing she is right now. Damn, she must've interpereted my "get-ready-I'll-tackle-him-first-and-you-be-my-back-up" sign as the "hey-watch-this-you'll-think-it's-funny" sign. Well, in her defense, the two are VERY similar and easily mixed up. But it really sucks for me cuz now she'll tease me about this one too, wonderful... Anyway, back to my present situation, here I am, effectivly pinning the guy of my dreams down on the floor in my special manuvour, while my so called "back up" is laughing so hard in the corner that I think she'll pass out any second from lack of oxygen. Interesting predicament, eh? Well, guess what, it gets worse.  
  
If you were to have asked me an hour ago about my special manuvour, I'd have told you that there were no weak points nor counter moves. And I don't know how he did it, but he did. He found a weakness... not in the manuvour, but in me. When I had previously tested this move on my brothers I had no intention of believing that they would touch me in anyother way than a punch or kick or anythin' else that might cause some sort of damage. Riku, is not one of my brothers--obviously--and therefor he would have every intention of touchin' me in a way other than a punch or kick. He did somethin' totally unexpected.  
  
He tickled me.  
  
And we all know that the last thing my brothers would do would be to tickle me. Needless to say, his tactic worked, and worked like a charm in his favor. At first I'm not too sure of how to react to the fact that he's touchin' me on my sides, and not fighting for air that my arm is so convieniently takin' away, so I continue to squash his wind pipe without hesitation. But... not even the toughest of women can resist the urge to laugh when someone is ticklin' them, I don't care who you are, or whether you're ticklish or not, EVERYONE laughs. And laugh I did, which really wasn't the problem, you see the problem was that when I did laugh, I lost all strength in my arms and legs. Guess what that did! It gave Riku the opening he needed.  
  
Before I know it I'm pinned roughly to the floor, both arms held in place by Riku's own and my legs pinned together by Riku's own as well. I... am stuck. I look up at him sheepishly, smiling nervously, while the last of my laughing escapes my throat. I look into his green eyes and see a hint of anger, not too much, but enough to make me a little scared. There's no telling what a guy will do once he has you pinned down, I don't care who he is.  
  
"What in the hell was that for?" He asks. Not to sound like a wimp, but... his grip on my wrists kinda hurts... just alittle...  
  
"Um... well... actually..." I studder. What in the hell WAS that for? I don't even remember WHY I did that!  
  
In the back ground I hear that Courtney has finally stopped laughing, and everything goes silent. I don't like silent, silent is bad. I could almost hear her gulp as I look over at her pleading with her to help me in this situation. She doesn't move, but I can see in her green eyes that she can't help me. Chicken... though I don't blame her.  
  
The silence seems to make the man on top of me sort of angry. He growls and puts more pressure on my arms. I wince, but not too noticably--I think--and I wiggle alittle trying to see if I could escape. No luck. Lookin' back up into his eyes to try and pleed through my own, I find that the little hint of anger has exploded and all I see is anger.  
  
His eyes narrow.  
  
I gulp.  
  
He starts to laugh.  
  
I do a double take.  
  
"Wha...?" I say just before he starts to lean forward, his face getting closer to mine. Ooooooooh boy... NOT GOOD!!! RED A-FREGGIN'-LERT!! BATTLE STATIONS!!! INTRUDER OF MY PERSONAL SPACE!!! WOO WOO WOO!!!  
  
While my mind goes through several counter tactics that I could be using just about now, my body remains still. I'm too shocked to move. And... do I really WANT to move? I mean... I DO like the guy, right? So, why is this a BAD situation? Well, I can think of a few...  
  
ONE: Courtney is RIGHT THERE.  
  
TWO: I've only known the guy for like, what? Three maybe four days?!  
  
THREE: It goes against EVERYTHING that I've believed in my ENTIRE LIFE!  
  
FOUR: ... I can't really think of any more...  
  
All the while he still gets closer and closer. I can feel his warm breath on my face, my neck gets really warm, my stomache churns with butterflies, and my mind is screaming at me to do something. ANYTHING! My heart beats a little faster, and my breathing becomes ragged. What is WRONG with me?! The places on my wrists where his skin touches mine tingles with something that I can't explain, and his eyes bore into mine, like he's... searching my soul. For what, is WAY beyond me, what does one look for when searching someone elses soul?  
  
His eyes suddenly soften and he smiles sweetly.  
  
She's scared.  
  
GOD DAMN RIGHT I AM!!!  
  
I wonder why...? He still advances. I close my eyes and swallow the lump in my throat, awaiting the enevitable. But... nothin' comes. I feel his breath tickle my ear, which makes me shudder from head to toe. He chuckles alittle at my shiver, and loosens the grip on my arms.  
  
"Psyche." He whispers. I open my eyes with a start. I hear a loud thump from about where Courtney was, I glance over and I see that she's fallen to the ground, relief written all over her face. It takes a few seconds for me to fully understand what in the HELL had just happened. Psyc huh? I'll give you a psyc, you ass...!  
  
"Psyche... Psyche...! PSYCHE!?" I scream pushing him away from me with my now free hands. "PSYC?! Is that ALL you have to say to ME?!" I get to a kneeling position so that I can look him in the eyes as he sits on his rump surprised by my actions. I grab his shirt and give him a little shake before I put my own face right up to his--I however have no intention of anythin' intimate--and I growl viciously at him. "How DARE you DO that to me!! YOU SCARED THE LIVING BE-JESUS OUT OF ME!! I should KILL you for that!" I see something that resembles fright in his eyes, and I let him go. I sigh and run my hand through my bangs. I need to go for a walk. I stand and bow to my two friends. "Excuse me." and I leave the tree house. 


	5. Ocean

Chapter Five: Ocean  
  
Wissshh... Wissshh... Wissshh...  
  
I don't know what it is... But something about the ocean always did attract me to it. I'm not sure if it's the color, or the smell, or the sound, or just the feeling I get from it... Maybe it's all of those put together, a special mixture that just attracts me to it. Makes me love it, no matter what.  
  
Wissshh... Wissshh... Wissshh...  
  
I take in a deep breath and pull my knees up closer to my chest, so that I can rest my chin on them. And I continue to watch the ocean as it now changes colors, the sun setting behind the shimmers of the water. For now, my mind is at peace. At peace from all the things that have been plaguing it for the past few hours. Nothin' like the good ol' ocean to ease my mind. Gee, I need like a little "pocket ocean" to carry around, so that whenever I need to calm down and be at peace I can just wip it out and be like VOILA! No more out of control, easy to piss off, and confused Katie! Nope, you'd have a calm Katie, which is very hard to get. Ask any of my friends.  
  
Oh wait, you can't. I almost forgot, the majority of them are... hmm, how can I put this... DEAD!  
  
Wissshh... Wissshh... Wissshh...  
  
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.  
  
I sigh, someone's coming. Probably to see how I'm doing. Go away.  
  
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.  
  
Looks like they won't be going away...  
  
Crunch. Crunch...  
  
"Katie?"  
  
"Yeah...?"  
  
"Whatcha doin'?"  
  
"Watchin' the sunset."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because."  
  
"Because why?"  
  
"Because I can."  
  
"Oh... ok." I look over at Courtney as she sits down next to me on the sand, I scoot over a little so she can rest her back up against the oddly bent tree that I'm leaning against. Then I look out back at the ocean. We're both silent for a while as we watch the ocean waves crash into shore.  
  
"Katie?"  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Is this what you've been doin' for the past couple of hours?"  
  
"Mmm-hmm."  
  
"Why?"  
  
I grunt in annoyance, and give her the "why-are-you-asking-when-you- already-know" look. She nods in responce.  
  
"Do you want to talk about it?"  
  
"Talk about what...?"  
  
"You know..." she nudges me.  
  
"No... I don't." I answer.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Didn't your mom ever tell you that curiosity killed the cat?"  
  
"You forget, I AM a cat-girl, despite my appearance."  
  
"Which is exactly why you need to take extra special heedence to that saying."  
  
She rolls her eyes at me. "Hasn't killed me yet, I'm willin' to go on a limb here."  
  
"Too bad for you I'm not talkin'."  
  
"You suck."  
  
"You suck more."  
  
"Yeah, well... you suck and swallow."  
  
"You suck and swallow and suck again." I smirk. "And you know there isn't anything worse than that."  
  
She frowns at me. "How come you always get the last line?"  
  
"I'm just good like dat."  
  
"Bitch."  
  
"Hey, I am NOT a bitch. I'm a SUPER bitch."  
  
"Oh, well, excuse me for being wrong."  
  
"There's no excuse for you, but you are forgiven."  
  
She shoves me playfully. And we're silent for a few more seconds before we both begin to laugh.  
  
"You know..." she says after she can catch her breath, "You should have seen the look on Riku's face when you attacked him. He was totally not expecting it. His eyes just about bugged out of his head!"  
  
"Man..." I mumble snapping my fingers, "I missed all the good stuff didn't I?"  
  
"I don't know..." she looks at me with a sly grin, "You did have him on top of you. It couldn't have been THAT bad." she wiggles her eyebrows at me. I roll my eyes, but I can't help the small tinge of red that forms on the bridge of my nose. I HATE it when I blush.  
  
"ANYWAY," I say, trying anything to get away from this subject. "What's our next move? Did Mr. "I've Got A Plan" ever figure out what to do?"  
  
"Don't get off the subject." She looks at me knowingly. I HATE that too, how she just KNOWS.  
  
"Too bad." I say telling her with my expression that I don't want to talk about it anymore.  
  
"Fine... But, no. Well... not exactly..."  
  
"Does he have a plan or not?"  
  
"He does, but it made so sense to me whatsoever."  
  
"What'd he say?"  
  
"That we need to "go through the door"... whatever the hell that means."  
  
I shrug my shoulders at her and look back out to the ocean, by now the sun is out of sight, lost behind the wavy horizon, but it still leaves a faint trace of light behind.  
  
"My thoughts exaclty." She says with a sigh. Ok, so I'm back at square one: not understanding a damn thing. But hey, it's better than knowing everything and having two crazy girls rely on you, like with what poor Riku has. But... what DOES he mean by "door"? That just doesn't make any sense... I'm going to have to ask him about it... If I can ever build up the courage to talk to the guy again. 


	6. Coconut Rampage

Author's Notes: WARNING: MAJOR naughty language in this chapter, sorry if it affends anyone!  
  
Chapter Six: Coconut Rampage  
  
They're both asleep. Mwahaha, good. I grin evilly at Riku's sleeping form from his bedroom door. With the both of them asleep, and me being somewhat back to normal, they won't expect me to run off. Well... maybe they would, my character seems to always say something about my next move, but I don't think either of them will be expecting this. Hopefully I won't be gone that long, so they'll never know that I was gone if I can manage to keep quiet and do this quickly but effectively.  
  
Mwahaha, this is going to be GREAT!  
  
I giggle to myself as I jump down the last few steps of the ladder to the sand. Then I tip toe my way to one of the near by coconut trees, and climb my way gingerly up it to grab a few of the fruit. If my plan works, no one on the entire island is going to want to see a coconut again.  
  
Mwahaha.  
  
****  
  
I wake up to the sweet sound of a loud thump. Then several other thumps, and a slightly enraged scream. I don't open my eyes--for I already know what happened--and I smile to myself, happy that it worked. However, I do need to put up some sort of act, so that no one will suspect me. So I jump up to my feet with a surprised yelp and look around acting like the world was under attack. And, in a way, it kinda was.  
  
Attacked by Katie Smyth and her army of coconuts. Mwahaha.  
  
"What? Huh?" I say as I look at Courtney's figure spralled out on the floor, half in the room half out, coconuts all over her. I cock an eyebrow at her as she looks back at me. "Errr..." I say before I bust out laughing.  
  
"I don't see what so damn funny here." she growls at me. Damn she's royally pissed, and I'm lovin' every minute of it!  
  
"I do." I say between breaths, "If you were me, you'd laugh your ass off. Probably even harder than I am right now!"  
  
"Wouldn't doubt it." she mumbles as she carefully gets up, tryin' not to trip over the mound of coconuts scattered all over the floor... Well, I guess it wouldn't be a mound then would it? Oh well. Anyway, I bust up laughing once again. She can't resist the urge to look at me with an accusing eye. "You did this, didn't you?"  
  
I stop laughing. Dammit, I'm busted... Hold on, wait a sec, I can still act innocent. Just don't act TOO innocent.  
  
"What, you think I did this? HA! I wish! This is great! But seriously, if I did, don't you think I would be a little more crafty than to use a bunch of lousy coconuts?! C'mon, give me some freggin' credit! I'm more imaginative than that!" Lesson One: no better way to make someone believe you, than to diss on your own work. I am good.  
  
Yelp, crash, and thump, thump, thump.  
  
Looks like Riku pulled his trap. Mwahaha. Courtney looks past the assumption that I did it, for now, and runs into the hall to see Riku, who is also spralled out on the floor covered with coconuts. We both simultaniously laugh histarically, to the point where we both fall to the ground holding our stomaches.  
  
"Ah, Courtney! It hurts!" I gasp for air.  
  
"I know, me too!"  
  
He stands up slowly confused and angered by the stunt. "Ok, haha. Who did it?" He asks as he towers over us, lookin' down trying to be intimdating.  
  
"Wasn't me." We both say at once, AGAIN.  
  
We hear another scream and more thumps. Looks like someone else pulled their trap as well. What? Did you actually think that I would limit my prank to just the people I know? HA! Yeah right! We must ALL join in on the fun!  
  
Of course keeping up my act calls for me to be totally oblivious as to what had just happened. So, as my two companions rush out to see what the hell has just happened I must run to see too. Even though I already know.  
  
A few more screams sound off before we even reach the front door of the tree house. I hang back alittle as to not get hit by the next wave of my ingenius plan. Courtney and Riku fall for it just like the first time, they trip over the thin rope, fall, and get pelted with a dozen or so coconuts. I stare wide eyed at them, from my still standing position, as part of my act, and for the fact that I almost couldn't believe they fell for the same thing twice. God damn, I am a genius. A FUCKING GENIUS!! I am the Goddess of Pranks. I should get a medal. Honestly, I should.  
  
When I walk out the door--carefully stepping over Riku and Courtney-- and onto the small deck, I see what my wonderful creation has done. And to tell the truth, it's almost the equivalent of angels singing. Actually, the singing is just a bunch of muffled screams, but hey, close enough.  
  
"Looks like we have some sort of coconut epidemic or somethin'." I say, adding to my acting. "It's almost like a horror movie, "The Curse of the Coconuts"! Oh no you guys! We've pissed off the Coconut Race! We're all gonna DIE!!" I turn to my friends just in time to be pelted with several coconuts. "HEY! Those things HURT!" I yell rubbing the numerous spots where coconut hit flesh.  
  
"Naw, ya THINK!" C and Riku yell, glarring at me.  
  
I laugh nervously. "What?"  
  
Courtney walks up to me slowly, and puts an arm around my neck and pulls me close to her face. I have a bad feeling about this. "Katie, my FRIEND." She wrenches at my neck. Ow... "Don't you find it a little odd that the ONLY person on this island who hasn't been hit with a pile of coconuts is YOU...?"  
  
Shit, my act has let me down. Lesson Two: when pulling a prank make sure you do it on yourself too. Because NO ONE suspects someone whos been hit, NO ONE. "Uh... no, not at all!" I say, but I'm busted, it's written all over my face that I'm guilty. There's no way of acting myself outta this one. Damn... Oh well, it was fun while it lasted. "Heh-heh... see ya!" I jerk from her grasp and make a break for the ladder, however I don't make it very far. I kinda forgot about that OTHER person whom was also standin' behind me. Well, fuck me up the goat ass, I'm screwed.  
  
Of course he grabs my arms and pins them behind my back before I get very far. I sag slightly in defeat. Wonder what they're gonna do to me. Can't be anythin' good. "What are we going to do to her Courtney?" I hear Riku ask. Oh GREAT, ask HER! I know she can think of a few HORRIBLE things to do...  
  
"There's a saying, "Let the punishment fit the crime" I think it goes, and I think this would be a wonderful time to demonstrate just what that saying means." she says, I can see the evil glint in her eyes. Yup, definitely screwed. I'll bet ya she's gonna do somethin' like tie me to a wall and have everyone on the island throw a coconut at me. "So, in accordance to that phrase, I propose we tie her to a stake and let everyone on the island throw a coconut at her." Holy ancient reptile dung! Can she read my MIND?! Dammit, that's it Smyth, no more thinkin' for you! You give people ideas!  
  
I gulp. I don't wanna be hit with a bunch of coconuts! That's why I stayed AWAY from my traps! Coconuts are HARD! They leave BRUISES! and BUMPS! and anyother such OUCHIES!!! "Ah, c'mon C! That's like cruel and unusual punishment! It's not fair!" I pleed, while also tryin' to loosen the grip Riku has on my arms.  
  
"Oh, and you think what you did to US is fair?!" She argues.  
  
"But... but... THAT WAS JUST A PRANK!! A simple harmless little PRANK! I meant no harm!! Really! I didn't!"  
  
"Yeah right." she rolls her eyes. Damn, ok, so acting pitiful to her doesn't work. My last chance is...  
  
"Riku?" I say looking back at him with the best of my ability. "You believe me don't you?" I give him my best shot of puppy dog eyes, and it seems to be working. "Riku, let me go." I put my head on his shoulder then nuzzle my way inbetween the place where his neck and shoulders meet. "Please...?"  
  
"Don't do it Riku." Courtney warns.  
  
"Please?" I say again. The grip on my arms loosens, YES! I AM a genius! Not wasting any time I jerk my arms from his grip and I make a beline for the ladder. "SUCKER!" I yell leaping down the ladder ungracfully, but I manage to land on my feet and I high-tail it out of there faster than you can say... well any really long word would be fine to put in here, I can't think of one at present cuz I'm doin' my best to run in sand and get away from all the people that probably want to kill me. Though my life may be in jeopardy, I only have one thing to say...  
  
Mwahaha, that was GREAT! 


	7. Realization

Chapter Seven: Realization  
  
Ouch... Ouch... OUCH!! I wince and blow on the small scab on my arm. This really hurts like a bitch, I probably should stop picking at it, but... I've ALWAYS picked my scabs, ever sense I was little. Mostly because when I was little I did that to look tough, you know, so the other kids on my block would think me as a tough girl. Little did they know that I was cryin' my eyes out on the inside. As for right now, I have no intention of having anyone think I'm a tough girl, right now, I could care less. No, right now I just wanna pick at it cuz it's just a habbit and it keeps me from thinkin' about the utter embarassment I had just gotten done enduring. Well technically it was about two hours ago, but the scenes keep playing in my mind, like it just happened five seconds ago...  
  
"SUCKER!" I yelled and lept down the ladder, albeit ungracfully, and ran like hell to the only place I could think of. The Sea Side Shack. However on my way there I was rudely hit with something--that I later found out was a "Blitz Ball"--and found myself practically knocked unconscious on the sand. Wakka, I think that's what his name is--the guy who threw the ball--I think he'll be visited by my army of coconuts tomorrow as well... ANYWAY, before I knew what was goin' on, I was conveniently tied to a near by stake and was pelted repeatedly by coconuts. I was lucky, however, the parents on the island didn't seem to want to throw any coconuts at me, they just gave me a long as all hell lecture on how little sniving children like myself always get their "come upens"--whatever the hell that means. But you know, having Courtney as my ever present watcher kinda led to a few things happenin'--me losin' all my good luck and replacing it with utter bad luck, which seems to follow me around anyway. She saw that none of the parents were throwing coconuts, so she instead had the children of the island throw as many coconuts as they had parents. So once again, I was screwed. Cut up, bruised, beaten, bumpy, swollen, and screwed. Lovely.  
  
I groan to myself as I hear someone approach me from behind. This is just what I need, some more teasing...  
  
"How come every time something happens to you, one of us finds you outside somewhere?"  
  
"How come every time I come outside to be alone, one of you has to find me?" I ask back.  
  
I hear Riku chuckle slightly before he says, "I asked you first."  
  
I sigh, "Because I like to be outside, especially in this weather. I'm kinda like a freak for nature or somethin'."  
  
"More like a freak OF nature." I quirk an eyebrow out at the ocean, as I continue to stare out at it, don't I have a sticker that says that...? I look over at him as he plops down in the sand next to me.  
  
"As for us, we just worry." He says, taking his turn to reply.  
  
Or maybe it was a shirt...? Oh hell, I can't remember.  
  
"Worryin' makes the heart grow old." I mumble.  
  
"Maybe, but not worrying makes the heart grow careless." He counters.  
  
I give him my most sarcastic look as I lean forward and say, "Wow Riku! You've just described me in a nut shell! I didn't know my character was that easy to judge!"  
  
He rolls his eyes at me. Gee, I think he's startin' to get used to me. Scary.  
  
"But that IS you in a nut shell. And you can't deny it." Comes Courtney's voice from behind us. Damn, my pereferal hearing is getting alittle rusty, I didn't hear her comin' at ALL. "Miss "I don't care"." She adds in quickly.  
  
"Oh and you're one to talk." I say as I watch her plop her sorry ass next to me. "You're just like me."  
  
"Wouldn't have been "just like you" if you hadn't of rubbed off on me." She says back.  
  
Though I'm 16 and should be way beyond the level of maturity my actions will suggest, I can't resist the urge to stick my tongue out at her and cross my eyes childishly. Take that! Haha! She too, rolls her eyes at me and I smirk. "But seriously, I care... to an extent..."  
  
"To an extent?" Riku asks.  
  
"Yes, to an extent." I answer. He quirks an eyebrow at me. "Like," I continue in order to prove my point, "when everyone on the island was throwing coconuts at me, I cared."  
  
"Of course you did! You were being beaten with coconuts!" Courtney chimes in. I glare at her, then turn back to Riku.  
  
"Ok, so that was a bad example." I pause and start contemplating the many other things that I can say as an example. And that's when it hits me... I really DON'T care. I can't think of any more instences that I actually truely cared, well other than what had just happened to Earth and all. "Well, to be honest," I say at last, "I haven't really experienced to many instences that would cause me to care. Except recent events."He nods, understanding where I was comin' from. I look back out at the ocean, that seems to be the answer for everythin' to me right now. I just... look back out at the ocean and everythin' becomes fine.  
  
"I remember a time, it was about 2 years ago, when me and two of my friends would sit out on this beach, kinda like what we're doing now, and we'd talk about going to another world together..." I look back over at Riku as he speaks, he seems to have a glint of sadness on his expression. "When our wish came true, it seemed to me the best thing that had ever happened. There I was, travelling around inbetween worlds with no problem at all, the only thing missing were my two friends. Somehow we were seperated, and it wasn't the same without them. So, I sent out to find them, doing horrible things in the process, in order to find them..." He pauses and seems to be searching for the right things to say. "What I'm trying to say is... Even when I did those things I didn't feel like I had done anything wrong, like what I was doing was, in some way, the right thing." He looks over at me, the sun glinting in his eyes and gave them an extra shine, kinda like he was going to cry. "But when I saw how much you cared about your world, and how you became so distraught that you couldn't speak, couldn't acknowledge Courtney or myself, almost couldn't continue to live... it made me... for the first time... feel like I had done the wrong thing. It made me regret what I had done. It made me see what a fool I was, and how childish I had been." He looks back out to the ocean. "And... for what it's worth... I just wanted to say... that I'm sorry."  
  
My eyes widen... He... he...  
  
"Hey Riku, c'mon man. It's not your fault. How would your childhood wish have anythin' to do with our world being destroyed? Don't blame yourself, it was just a coincedence. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's all." Courtney says giving him a comforting grin. "Ain't that right Katie?"  
  
I ignore her, it's not that I didn't hear her, or kind of agree with her, but... I continue to stare at Riku. How...? For the first time sense I was thrown into this horrible mess, I... I finally understand. Though everythin' was unintentional, he still... he's still... responsible. For everything. I don't know exactly how I've come to this conclusion, but... I can't help but feel that... he's responsible. I know it doesn't make any sense, there isn't any evidence that points to him being the culprit, or to him even being involved in anything! But...  
  
I gasp.  
  
~Now that I think about it though, strange things have been happenin' now that this guy shows up. The weather's turned quite violent, it gets darker sooner, odd material has been fallin' from the sky, and just yesterday I saw a creature in the woods while walkin' home from the bus stop. It was black and walked almost on all fours, with antennae and two bright yellow eyes. I just deemed that as part of my over-active imagination, but I could almost SWEAR I saw that damn freaky creature... However, what all of those things have to do with HIM are completely BEYOND me. He would have no way of being able to control ANY of that, but I can't help but feel that maybe... he's involved in all this SOMEHOW. Nevertheless, you won't hear me making any accusations ANY time soon.~  
  
"Katie?" I hear Courtney say, she touches my shoulder but I don't move. I'm lost in the memories of the last day I had spent on Earth...  
  
~THUMP!! My attention is drawn away from his face and over to the wall of the Green House, there, clinging to the wall, I could see one of those creatures that I saw in the woods, looking in on us.~  
  
~"Heartless!" Riku sneers, and dashes for the door, nearly tripping me with the damn hose. Heartless? What the HELL is a HEARTLESS?! Suppose it's that freaky as all hell thing that's scratchin' at the wall... Hm... BRILLIANT deduction my dear DUMB ASS!~  
  
~What I'm seein' now, is definitely NOT what I was expecting to see. Well, what EXACTLY I was expecting, I dunno, but it sure as hell wasn't THIS! Up in the sky was a giant ball of "blackness" and some small things flying up to it. Uh, it's kinda like a vaccum... WHAT?! A VACCUM?!?! All it needs is the Dirt Devil sign and we'd have a match... Great, now I'm going to get sucked up and DIE! Perfect...~  
  
~Suddenly MY hand starts to glow yellow and there pops the dark colored key... "What in the world!" I almost drop the dumb thing. "What am I supposed to do with this?!"  
  
"Use it!" he instructs.  
  
"And do WHAT?! KEY them to death?!"~  
  
~...we're both just a spinnin' right up to the big black ball thingy. Well... DAMMIT! I don't WANNA DIE!! I have so much to LIVE FOR!~  
  
~That's when EVERYTHING turns black...~  
  
I stand up abroptly, scaring my two friends, but I don't care. I can't believe it... I look back at Riku, confusion and hate and sadness-- all rolled up into one--plague my mind. "You..." I stutter, I'm so confused I don't know if I'll be able to say anythin', "You..." Or maybe it's because I'm too angry to speak, "You..." Or maybe because I'm too sad...? "You..." Screw it, I just won't say anythin'.  
  
He's standin' now, and holdin' my shoulders in an attempt to calm me down. Damn, my face must be like an open book for these two. All they have to do is look at me and read my state of mind. "Don't touch me!" I yell wrenching myself from his grip. "Don't you EVER touch me again..." I snarl and take off, running as fast as my legs can carry me, to where? I'm not sure, but anywhere is good, as long as it's away from him. 


	8. The Door

Chapter Eight: The Door  
  
I run underneath a near by tree into a cave created by an upturned root. I run right into the darkness of the cave, not caring if I would happen to slam right up into the caves walls. But amazingly enough, I don't, and I enter the main chamber of the cave. Oddly, the cave has a kind of sky light above it, like this cave was once the home to a really big fox, and it had once made this place it's den. Great, now I'm going to be eaten alive by a giant fox. Oh joy.  
  
Once my eyes adjust to the lighting, I find that this place is not inhabited by a giant man-eating fox--much to my comfort--no, what I find instead is almost more surprising than a giant man-eating fox, what I find is... drawings. Lots and LOTS of... DRAWINGS. Now, don't get me wrong, these drawings arn't works of art, actually they look like the work of a very imaginative kid, but the fact that I wasn't expectin' to see drawings in a place like this is why I'm in such a state of awe. NEVER in my wildest dreams would I have ever have been able to do somethin' like this when I was little.  
  
I walk up the the nearest wall and run my hand along some of the drawings. I chuckle at some of the horrible pictures, and stare at others with this feelin' that I know this, like I had experienced this before, or... somethin'. Before I know it, I've circled the entire cave, marvelling at the grandeur of the place, and how it had some deep and special feelin' to it. This was a special place, a SECRET place, to someone. Exactly WHO is beyond me, but someone really loved it here. And I can't help but feel that I love it here too.  
  
I plop down on the ground and lean up against one of the walls-- careful not to smudge any of the works--and sigh as I look at my reflection in the small pool of water next to me. I can only see a faint trace of my features, my eyes, my nose, my frowning lips, the glint of my golden hoop ear-rings, my unruly bangs poking into my eyes, and my long brown hair falling over my shoulder ever so slightly. My reflection wavers, and my face seems like it broke apart, as a water droplet falls into the pool. I look up to see a few stalagtites hangin' from above, every now and then one dropping a little of it's mineral filled water onto the cave floor. I look back down at the pool of water and notice somethin' different about the features on my face. Not that my mood changed, or that my face changed, but... somethin' in the light is just... different. Like there's a new source of light... comin' from behind me.  
  
With that thought I don't waste any time in findin' the source of the light. Lookin' around I find nothin' on the ceiling except for the sky light that was there before. So I look at the walls, and find that--! HOLY CRAP! The freggin' WALL is GLOWING... uh... not good...? It's not everyday that you see a wall in some random cave glow like that...  
  
I'm in complete and utter shock, so it takes me a few seconds to accept then analyze my situation. Only there's one small problem, I can't quite accept what's goin' on here. The freggin' WALL is glowing! How often does THAT happen?! So, I give up on accepting it, and now I'm interested in what contraption is making it glow. Maybe the kids that drew these murals on the walls had made a machine of some sort to produce light? Or just scare the livin' crap outta anyone who wondered into their hole? Highly unlikely, but surely possible... well... maybe.  
  
Half in curiousity and half in my will to run like hell outta here, I stand--rather abruptly too, almost hit my head on a low hanging rock--but after that, I can't seem to muster up enough wit to do check it out. My commonsense is fighting a vicious war with my curiousity. I wanna go over and check it out... but I don't wanna die in the process. And, as I told C- dawg before, curiousity killed the cat. Good thing for me my alter-ego isn't an acrazed cat-girl.  
  
That's it, there's my decision. Curiousity kills cats, not hyper, over-imaginative teenage girls. Though my conclusion makes no sense what-so- ever, it's enough for my commonsense to back down, and I slowly walk over to the wall. SLOWLY definitely should be brought to your attention, sure I'm dumb enough to go check it out, but I am cautious enough not to get killed... hopefully.  
  
Before I even realize it, I'm standing in front of the wall, being blinded by the light. Well great! Here I am being an absolute MORON standing in front of a wall that's glowing... With my luck it'll be explosive or somethin'. I rub my forhead, I can't believe I'm gonna do this...  
  
I reach out and touch the wall.  
  
To my surprise and my relief, nothing happened. What a RIP-OFF! SOMETHING should've happened... Oops... Spoke too soon.  
  
In the middle of the wall a "hole" appeared. Not just any hole, mind you, this hole was in an odd shape. My brown eyes widen when I realize what it is. It's a keyhole. That's kinda odd, to have a keyhole in the wa...ll... Crap. I think I just found the door Riku was talkin' about. I back up alittle and notice that it's not the ENTIRE wall that's glowin', just a small section... that's in a door shape. Dammit, it just figures that I would find it...  
  
A thought crosses my mind: Is it locked? I guess it would be. Who would leave something like this unlocked? (Someone like me...) Another thought crosses my mind: I wonder if them key like things we beat them Heartless things with could unlock it? I wince as I imagine a giant Courtney hover above me then bonk me on the head.  
  
"You baka! Why do you wanna UNLOCK IT?! Leave it ALONE!"  
  
I shake my head, to clear my mind of the "Giant Courtney". Damn, she's around me so often that even when she's NOT here... she IS. I sigh, then make a decision in my head. I'll go and get those two baka's, tell them what I've seen, then prepare for departure. I'll leave everything I've concluded about Riku to the side, for now. Maybe this'll give him the chance to redeem himself.  
  
I turn to leave, then I'm shoved forward so fast I land flat on my face. "Ow..." I mumble then get back up. I turn, SLOWLY again, and stare blankly at the now open door. Um... not good?  
  
A minute or so goes by, I don't really know why I was expecting anythin' to happen. I just kinda figured there would be Heartless jumping out to eat me. Or for me to get either sucked in, or pushed away from the door by a freak current, or SOMETHING. There isn't even an odd scene inside the door, it's just... black. Like the damn doors been open the whole time! There's NOTHING wrong here! Nothing at ALL!! This makes me angry. WHY won't somethin' HAPPEN?! I snort at the door, geez get me all worked up and then don't do anything. Just like Riku, both jerks.  
  
I feel my shoulders sag and my muscles loosen. Oh, what the hell, who cares? If it's not doing anything now, it won't later. No use gettin' angry, right?  
  
****  
  
I left after that thought. Left the door wide open too, but I don't care. Right now I'm leaning against the upturned root, nursing the small cut on my forhead. I guess that when I fell flat on my face--from the door pushing me I realized--I cut my head. Strange... I didn't even feel it! No pain, not even alittle! And I couldn't tell that blood was running down my face freely. Damn, was I THAT destracted? Oh well.  
  
While I'm on the subject, I think I bruised my back as well. Stupid door... That aching feeling won't go away, but it's not too bad, right now. It'll probably get worse later, I'll just have to make sure I don't do anything to upset it for awhile. I stand up straight and wince. Well, I said I was cautious enough not to get killed. I never said I was cautious enough not to get hurt.  
  
"KATIE!!" I hear Courtney call. Damn, they still lookin' for me? Figured they'd have given up by now.  
  
"KATIE!!" I hear Riku call. My heart almost stops. Yeah, sure, I'm mad at the guy but that doesn't mean I can't still LIKE him. Everything he does to me is still effective. Whether I like it or not, I can't decide.  
  
I catch a glimpse of the two as they round the corner of a near by tree. Eeep! HIDE! And I dive into the line of bushes, much to my backs dismay. While down here laying on my stomache I can't help but think... about my first day on Destiny Islands... How RIGHT when I woke up I had to pee like there wasn't a tomorrow... I just hope I'm not behind the same bush that I "relieved" myself behind that day... Though pee happens to be the most sterile fluid... that doesn't justify anythin', it's still disgusting. They walk over to me and stop, but I don't think they can see me. I can't help but pull a Dana Carvey. I AM a "Master of Disguise"! I grin at myself. I'm such a dork.  
  
"Where in the hell is she?!" Courtney growls. Riku remains silent. "Who does she think she is?! To blow up like that for no reason! And even AFTER you apaulogized, and it wasn't even your FAULT!" She kicks a stray rock, and to my horror it comes skipping my way. I don't have time to move out of the way, and even if I did then my cover would be blown... CRACK!!! Oww... I rub the space between my eyes where the rock struck. It STINGS! I don't know which is worse! The rock, or the coconuts.  
  
"Don't over-react Courtney. I'm sure she had a reason." Riku states calmly.  
  
"I'm not over-reacting. And don't stick up for her! What she did was inexcusable!" She pauses, then continues. "I just know Katie, and she had better have a good reason for her behavior. Though knowing her she won't, and she'll be jumping out from wherever the hell she is, only to say she doesn't remember anythin'." She sighs.  
  
I glare up at her. I do NOT act like that!... Ok, so maybe I do. But that's how I keep my care-free attitude! There's a REASON! Not a very good one... but a reason nonetheless! Geez, that's no reason for her to get all worked up... maybe this is her way to... relieve stress? Yeah, that might be it.  
  
Well, if she's gonna relieve stress on me, then I shall do the same, to HER.  
  
I grin evilly and pick up the rock, chuckin' it at her. Revenge is sweet. There's a yelp then a curse. Though I don't know where it hit her, judging by the word choice in her cursing I could tell it hurt. I peek up to see Courtney rubbing the back of her head, a death glare scanning the area, while Riku picks up the "amazing flying rock" and examines it in awe.  
  
He's so cute sometimes, especially when he's confused.  
  
"What was that?!" Courtney booms.  
  
"A rock." Was Riku's answer. "Looks like it was thrown."  
  
"No shit sherlock." Courtney mumbles. HEY! She got that from me! Line stealer... I'm gonna have to punch her later. "But WHERE did it come from?"  
  
Hehe, your MOM!  
  
"Your mom." Riku says, and then he realizes what he just did and slapped his hand over his mouth. I stare at him in shock. So does this mean that my mind reading has gone so far as to ACTUALLY put words in other peoples mouths? Only on way to find out! Mwahaha.  
  
"What did you just say?" Courtney looks at him confused. He opens his mouth to explain, show time!  
  
I said you're gay.  
  
"I said you're gay." His eyes widen, I stiffle a laugh. "No no no no! That's not what I meant!" He says putting his arms out in defense.  
  
I meant your moms gay.  
  
"I meant your moms gay!" He's awarded with a mighty slap from Courtney. I can't control my laughter anymore, I burst into a fit of giggles, rolling around and out of the bushes to stop in front of C-dawg and Riku. They both look down at me as I fight for air, confusion and alittle furry all over their faces. I can tell by their glares they blame me for what had just happened, but they have no proof.  
  
After a while Courtney speaks up. "Where the HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?! You should really stop running away everytime something makes you upset! You're making us feel like your mother! And I don't like it!"  
  
"I was in the bushes, watching you guys make asses out of yourselves. That's where I've been. I WILL NOT stop running away, it's all I have. And you are DEFINITELY NOT my mother, you don't have to feel like you need to watch over me! So DON'T, I'm FINE on my OWN!" I defend. What's the matter with her?  
  
"Fine on your OWN huh? Then what happened to your head?" She askes crossing her arms.  
  
"The BRUISE inbetween my EYES is from the ROCK that you KICKED at me!" I say pointing to it, while crossing my eyes to see it too. "And the cut... is... from, well... that's a long story that I need to talk to you guys about." Riku's brows shoot up, and Courtney's lower.  
  
"Start talkin'." She growls. I gulp.  
  
"Well... " I start, "When I ran away, which by the way Riku, I'm over, so don't worry. I'm still mad at you, don't get me wrong, but I'm not upset anymore. Anyway, when I ran away, I ran into this cave type place, and there I found the coolest lookin' murals on the walls. Not the best pictures I've ever seen," I see Riku frown, must've been his works of art or somethin', "but cool nonetheless. I sat down to sulk alittle when this strange light started to come from the far wall. I went to check it out and found that a keyhole appeared. Guys, I think I found the door you were talkin' about!"  
  
"Well, it's not like it was lost in the first place." Riku states, lookin' at me with a mixed expression. "I knew where it was the whole time."  
  
"Interesting story Shit-head." Courtney says using my father's nickname for me. I frown at this, sure make me think of my lost family... "But that still doesn't explain what happened to your head."  
  
"Oh right, kinda forgot to mention that." I laugh and rub my neck, they both sigh. "Well, I was turning to go and tell you guys what I found when the damn door opened," I see the alarm in Riku's eyes, "and it slammed me in the back, I fell, and that's where I got the cut. No biggy."  
  
Courtney rubs her temples in frustration and Riku is stiff. Well, two completely opposite reactions, and neither one of them are concerned if I'm ok. Hm... Typical.  
  
"Did you just say that the door... OPENED?" Riku manages to get out.  
  
"Uh... yeah, why? Is that bad?"  
  
"Well, it's not exactly good... Did anything happen?"  
  
"Not a damn thing, believe it or not. Kinda disapointed me to tell ya the truth, but what can ya do?" I say shifting my weight to my right foot.  
  
"Ok, you two head back to the tree house, and gather any supplies you think we might need. I'll go check on the door. And make it quick, I'm not sure what's going to happen now that the doors open." Riku instructs, then dashes off to the cave. Courtney and I stare at his fleeing figure.  
  
"Oh, sure." I mumble. "It's ALWAYS the woman's job to do the packing, while the man gets to do all the cool stuff."  
  
"It just figures don't it?" Courtney says turning to me.  
  
"Yeah, just figures." I sigh, and we head to the tree house.  
  
Autor's Notes: There how's that? At least it's not on a cliff hanger anymore! BE HAPPY EVERYONE!! LOVE & PEACE!! But seriously, next chapter's gonna come out as soon as I'm done with it. Everyone's kinda surprised as to how many chapter's I just put out eh? Well, it's a long story, and DON'T COMPLAIN!! It's a good thing that I got 8 chapter's out so fast! ^^ Anyway, gotta go, JA!! 


	9. Of Clothes and Red Heads

Chapter Nine: Of Clothes and Red Heads  
  
In the tree house, we managed to find three good sized back packs and loaded each one with anything we could think of, making sure that Riku's was the heaviest, after all, he was the MAN and women are weak anyway. Let him carry it all. Before we knew it, Riku came back and told us that everything was fine for the moment, but we still needed to set off as quickly as possible. You know, just in case something unexpected happened. He has a good philosophy of being prepared, that little character trait REALLY needs to rub off on me.  
  
A small rapping was heard at the door, and Riku opens it quirking an eyebrow, but then his face lightens up as he sees who it is. "Tidus!" he exclaims.  
  
I lean over to Courtney, "Who the hell is Tidus?"  
  
"Someone you didn't get to meet when you were still asleep." She says to me.  
  
I look over at the boy who walks in. He looks about 12 or so, damn he's gonna be a looker when he gets older... Bonde hair, blue eyes... er, yeah. What is WRONG with me?! Are guys all I think about now, or WHAT?! Damn, I'm starting to turn into "them", the giggly girls who have crushes up the wazoo. Next thing you know I'll be a slut, just you wait!  
  
Around this time I notice that Tidus is carrying something into the house and is tossing it onto the table. Three packages and a big bag... Wonder what those are? Riku walks over and picks them up, then tears into them, pulling out three outfits.  
  
"Perfect, and just in time! Thanks Tidus, and tell your mom thanks too." He says and Tidus makes a quick escape, sayin' something about playing Blitz Ball with Wakka.  
  
"Um... Question? Uh... What're those?" I ask.  
  
"Dumb, blind and deaf, gee Katie, you're losing it." Courtney snorts. I shoot her a look.  
  
"They're new clothes, for our journey." Riku explains. He tosses one to me, then one to Courtney, who seems quiet excited about hers.  
  
"How do I know these are gonna fit?" I ask.  
  
"Oh, we measured you while you were asleep too." Courtney answers.  
  
My face flushes, "YOU DID WHAT?!"  
  
She chuckles at me, "Don't worry, it was just me and Tidus's mom. Riku didn't see anything."  
  
I glare at the both of them while heading to "my" room. "Better not have." I mumble disapearing behind the door.  
  
When I returned from the room, I felt like a whole new person. Probably because I LOOKED like a whole new person. But don't get me wrong, I'm still me, just a cooler lookin' me. I was wearin' my new get-up, which really wasn't all that bad considering I had no say on the style. Fit me like a charm too, Tidus's mom must be a good sewer.  
  
My out-fit was actually quite out of the ordinary, for "Earthling" standards anyway-- like my blue-jeans and t-shirt-- I had big brown clunker boots that reached up past my ankles and tied like a normal shoe. My shorts were somethin' different, long they were--I like them long anyway--only one leg was longer than the other, the left only went down to just above my knee while the right went a ways below it. Must not be too odd on this world, Tidus was wearing somethin' similar to these. My shirt was normal, just plain white and reached my red shorts. My jacket on the other hand... if you even want to call it a jacket, it just has short sleeves, the sleeves being white while the rest is black, and the collar on this thing is just about the weirdest part... It reaches up my neck and flares out around my shoulders, it also buckels in the front, but like that really matters.  
  
I look up at my two friends, seein' what they thought of the clothing. They don't say anythin' for a while, and I tug nervously at the "x" of belts that cross my backside. "Well?" I look at them curiously. Courtney seems to be critisizing in her head, while Riku looks at me expressionless. What help they are... I roll my eyes and plop down in a chair at the table. "Anyway, it's your turn, baka." I say, while Courtney glares at me.  
  
"If there's anyone here that would be a baka it would be you, my friend." She says as she walks into the room. I stick my tongue out at her as she passes me.  
  
I look over at Riku, who's still lookin' at me. "Hey." I say, he jumps slightly at the sound of my voice. What a dork. "Ain't you gonna get changed too? You're the one who wants to leave asap."  
  
"Oh, right." He mumbles, and heads for his room.  
  
I watch him as he closes the door. Wonder what his clothin's gonna look like? Something that fits his ass well I hope... er... nevermind. I sigh, grabbing a pair of gloves from the pile of three on the table and shoved them on my hands, making my fingers poke through the ends of the fingerless material. Making myself more comfortable I lean back on the two back legs of the chair, propping my feet on the table. I remember how my grandma used to yell at me whenever I did this, always told me I'd end up fallin'.  
  
A person flies through the door at lightening speed, I gasp then feel myself fallin' backwards. Guess grandma was right. CRASH! And I'm lookin' up at the wooden ceilin'... Bummer.  
  
"Riku! Riku?" The girl yells, I look up at her from my position on the floor. She has red hair and blue eyes, kinda small and petite too, I could break her like a toothpick, if I wanted to, good thing for her I'm in a pretty good mood today. "You there! Is Riku already gone?" She askes me. I don't think she even cares that her intrusion caused me to fall. Oh well.  
  
"He's still here." I say, pointing to his room. "But he's kinda..." Oops too late. She barges right into his room, not even thinking to what he could be doin' in there. "...changing at the moment." I say calmly as I hear Riku's shreak, only it was a few octaves higher than usual. I snicker.  
  
"KAIRI!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Riku yells, and I can't help it anymore, I bust out laughing, good thing I'm still on the floor, or I would've fallen for sure. While I'm laughing I miss a good part of the conversation that comes next, I see their mouths moving, but I get nothing from that. Damn, I knew I should've learned how to lip read...  
  
"Riku... take me with you." Kairi states, Riku's eyes about bulge out of his head. I stop laughing, the moments passed anyway. Seems like we got a serious situation on our hands... how boring, let's spice it up alittle. I grin, I knew this new talent of mine would end up coming in handy... Just as I was about to make Riku's life a livin' hell, Courtney comes bustin' out of our room like her ass was on fire, in her new get-up of course.  
  
"What the hell's going on here?" She askes me, cocking an eyebrow at my position on the floor. I suppose I should get up ne? I cock an eyebrow back at her as I take in her clothing. Black trench coat, black knee-high boots, green shirt with a collar like somethin' you'd see in a bad Disco movie, chain belt, and black pants... Yup that's a typical Courtney outfit... How come she gets that and I get THIS?! I think she did this on purpose...  
  
"Well, let's see here..." I say casually putting my hands behind my head. "This girl came barging in, I think her names Kairi, and she made me fall on the floor, she asked me where Riku was and I told her... But she didn't listen to me fully so she just walked in on Riku when he was probably butt-naked." I grin.  
  
"Oh..." Courtney says, scratching her head. "Is that all?" She snorts and heads back to our room.  
  
"Well that's not all... She just asked to come along with us." I add, finally making the attempt to get up.  
  
"WHAT?! There are only so many people we can take with us you know!!" She yells at me. I fall back down.  
  
"Geez, ya ain't gotta take it out on my poor ears now, DO YA?!?" I snarl. Damn that really did hurt. "It's not MY fault."  
  
Courtney gives me a look then turns to look into Riku's room, where Kairi and Riku are watching us fight. Well, I gotta fix this.  
  
"Ok guys, you can comense in freaking out now, it was entertaining." I say, Riku avoids eye contact with me.  
  
"I would like to know what's going on here." Courtney demands. I sigh, didn't I just explain to her the situation?  
  
"Hey you know, if you're that DUMB..." Courtney glares at me and I stop mid-sentence. "Well, I JUST told you didn't I?"  
  
"Yes, but I want to hear it from THEM." She points to the two islanders in the next room. I roll my eyes.  
  
"Fine whatever." I mumble. Sometimes I wonder about her, she never really did listen to me, and if she did, then she'd still want the story from someone else. It's not like I'd LIE to her. Well... maybe I would, but only if she didn't really need to know. PLUS how in the hell does she even know I'm lying? I guess that's why she goes to everyone else, because she CAN'T tell. Hmmm... that could prove to be useful at a later date. Mwahaha.  
  
Meanwhile, Riku and Kairi stare at us in confusion. I see from the corner of my eye Kairi lean over to Riku and whisper something. I manage to catch only a little of what she said: "... are they? Do they act like this all the time?"  
  
Riku looks at her with a knowing smile. "The one on the floor is Katie, and the one yelling at her is her best friend Courtney. And... yes they do act like this all the time."  
  
"Do not!" Courtney and I say at the same time--which happens a lot-- and we glare at each other. I guess she heard about as much of that conversation as I did.  
  
Anyway, I get up, FINALLY, from my position on the floor and walk casually over to Kairi. "Yes, that's correct, my name is Katie Smyth... and this is my baka of a friend C."  
  
I can't see her face, but I feel the back of my head burning from her death glare. "First of all, my name is more than a letter, and second of all, if anyone here is a baka it would be YOU." I stick my toungue out at her.  
  
"What does 'baka' mean?" I hear Kairi say, I'm guessing to Riku. I look over to see Riku shrug.  
  
"I don't know. But they call each other that a lot, so it must be bad."  
  
Courtney turns to Riku with this expression on her face that makes me cringe. Uh-oh, it's Explaination-Time with Courtney Pepmueller. All run for your lives. No, I'm serious, RUN-FOR-YOUR-LIVES! What? You aren't running? Fine, suit yourselves, die for all I care. "'Baka' means moron, idiot, stupid and any other such derogatory names, in Japanese."  
  
Kairi gets this blank expression on her face and turns to Riku, who doesn't know what to say either. "... What's 'Japanese'?" I've got to stop this now, before it goes too far, this could take all day, and we don't have that.  
  
"It's a language that we had on our planet." I say, while Courtney gives me a look.  
  
"I believe that she asked me." She says to me, I look at her and smile.  
  
"Yes, I know, but I answered her."  
  
She remains silent.  
  
Kairi turns back to Riku, "So, can I come with you?"  
  
Riku turns to her, the expression on his face is hard to read, I don't think I've seen that one before. "Kairi... I'm sorry, but if Sora knew that I let you into danger he'd kill me."  
  
The red head looked to the ground. When she looked back up she had a hard look on her face. "So? He told me he'd come back one day... And he still hasn't. I'm worried about him Riku, I need to find him."  
  
Riku sighs and runs his hand through his silver hair, "I'm worried about him too Kairi, but there's nothing that you'll be able to do. Plus we have a crisis on our hands that needs to be taken care of first."  
  
"Which you'll probably need Sora for." Kairi protested.  
  
"True," Riku countered, "But not you."  
  
She remained silent and looked to the ground again. Wow, ok, so this Sora person is someone very special to the both of them... I'd like to meet him sometime. However, as for the current situation... It's too damn gloomy. And if there's anything that I've learned in the past couple of days; gloomy just leads to more gloomy-ness.  
  
"Ok, so here's the plan." I say calmly, everyone looks up at me in surprise from my sudden directness. "We leave, Kairi stays here, and if we run into this Sora on our way, we just send his ass back here! How hard can that be?"  
  
"Hard." Riku states looking at me, I cock an eyebrow. "So many factors can limit anything. Who's to say that we'll really run into Sora? And who's to say that when he finds out whats happened, that he'll really want to come back without solving the problem? That is, to say that he can even COME back, after all, once we enter that door there's no telling if it will remain open long enough for--"  
  
I hold up my hand and cut him off. "Way to go Riku, totally ruin my plan to make her agree with me." He realizes what he did and blushes slightly. Kairi walks away from the both of us and heads over to the only window in the small room. I watch her as--from what I can tell--she looks outside, scanning the landscape of water. Probably thinkin'. I sigh, and walk over to her, ignoring Riku as he grabs at me to get me to stop. I stand beside the small red-haired girl for a moment before I bend over and place my face in my hands and elbows resting on the windowsil. I, too, look out over the landscape before I speak. "Kairi," I say, not waiting for a reply, "I think I might understand how you feel on this situation. But you also need to see it from Riku's perspective. He's just tryin' to do what he thinks is right. And from what I've heard... the last time you were caught up in all of this, you got hurt. So please, just try to understand, he's just doin' this for your own sake." I look up at her as she nods, a tear rolling down her tan cheek.  
  
"I understand. It's... just not fair." She says softly.  
  
I smile up at her. "I've learned a lot of things in life aren't fair, like this outfit for example," I stand up and tug at the shorts, "Why do I get stuck with this, while Courtney is over there in a respectable outfit of HER choice. I had no say, THAT isn't fair." Kairi giggles. I give an exasperated sigh and turn to see Riku comin' out of his room with his new outfit on... Yellow vest that clung to his skin and showed off his muscles well, black leather gloves that he's currently puttin' on, BIG blue bubbly pants that strap at the bottom to his blue and white shoes. I have to stop myself from drooling, so I option to poke fun. "Well..., at least my outfit is better than Riku's." Kairi bursts into a fit of giggles.  
  
Riku looks up at me defiantly. "My outfit is NOT bad. The stuff that you wear on your planet is sooooo much worse. I am very happy that I have some normal clothes on, I couldn't take those "Earth clothes" anymore." I shoot him a glare, and suddenly a pillow flys across the room and hits its target, my HEAD.  
  
"How DARE you three ignore me!!" I hear Courtney say, I calmly remove the pillow from my face and I give her my best death glare.  
  
"How DARE you remind us you're there!!" I yell chucking the pillow at her, unfortunatly she was expecting it so she expertly dodges. I snort in frustration, "And how come I ALWAYS get hit when this was OBVIOUSLY a TEAM effort?!"  
  
"Cuz, you're my best friend." She states.  
  
"And let the punishment REALLY fit the crime." I scowl. She smiles at me.  
  
Author's Notes: Yeah, ok, I know, long time no see. *waits to be pelted with a variety of vegitables* It's been a while, but I finally got the next chapter out, and it's not really my best one... But at least it's another chapter. And as for my excuse as to not writing... well, they're measly and unimportant. But all that love this story should be thanking my best friend C, for getting me back on a KH high. Next chapter out... whenever. And if anyone is confused as to the outfits that my characters are wearing, email me and I'll send you a character sketch that I drew, be pateint though, it'll take me a while to get it to you. E-mail: happyfiredemon@yahoo.com JA!! 


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